ASU (and UA) 2013 football schedules are out

[HooverDam]

So here they are, first up the school that matters, ASU:

9/7/13 vs. Sacramento State
9/14/13 vs. Wisconsin
9/21/13 at Stanford
9/28/13 vs. USC
10/5/13 vs. Notre Dame (at Cowboys Stadium)
10/12/13 vs. Colorado
10/19/13 vs. Washington
10/31/13 at Washington State
11/9/13 at Utah
11/16/13 vs. Oregon State
11/23/13 at UCLA
11/30/13 vs. Arizona

And of course UA:

8/31/13 vs NAU
9/7/13 @ UNLV
9/14/13 v UTSA
9/28/13 @ Washington
10/10/13 @ USC
10/19/13 vs Utah
10/26/13 @ CU
11/2/13 @ Cal
11/9/13 vs UCLA
11/16/13 vs Washington State
11/23/13 vs Oregon
11/30/13 @ ASU

Bolded the toughest parts of the schedule for each team.

ASU has a brutal 4 game stretch, if they can somehow go 3-2 (or better) over the first 5 it'll be the start of a great season.

UofAs OoC schedule is a joke. But they're losing Matt Scott and some other key pieces this offseason, so thats probably best for them. They'll need to rack up 3 wins in OoC and scratch to find another 3 or 4.

Even though UA has a long stretch w/ only 1 home game, 2 of those roadies are against expected conference doormats Cal and Colorado, so those could be winnable for UA.

I look for ASUs floor to be 7 wins and ceiling around 10.

I think UAs floor is probably 4.5 with a ceiling of 8 or so.

So potentially a slight step forward record wise for ASU next year, and a slight step back for UA.

Thats not meant as a slam on UA either, I do think Rich Rod is doing well so far, but ASU returns more talent in key positions (getting Sutton back is amazing) and UA losing their QB who was ideally suited for Rich Rod is a killer.

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

Everyone is really overrating Matt Scott and underrating Rich Rodriguez's abilities to coach offense. Arizona's offensively will be just fine next season.

 

[Gaddabout]

Everyone is really overrating Matt Scott and underrating Rich Rodriguez's abilities to coach offense. Arizona's offensively will be just fine next season.

Agreed. Offense will probably never be an issue with RR.

 

[HooverDam]

Everyone is really overrating Matt Scott and underrating Rich Rodriguez's abilities to coach offense. Arizona's offensively will be just fine next season.

I don't disagree that they'll be "just fine", but wasnt this years offense one of RichRods best ever? He needed every bit of that to overcome a woeful defense. I think UAs offense will be good, but this year it was damned near great at times.

If the offense takes a half step back and the defense doesn't step forward (we don't necessarily know they will), that could mean 1 or 2 more losses.

 

[Mulli]

I am going to disagree with myself and predict ASU will beat ND.

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

I don't disagree that they'll be "just fine", but wasnt this years offense one of RichRods best ever? He needed every bit of that to overcome a woeful defense. I think UAs offense will be good, but this year it was damned near great at times.

If the offense takes a half step back and the defense doesn't step forward (we don't necessarily know they will), that could mean 1 or 2 more losses.

The schedule is a lot easier this year though (avoid Oregon State and Stanford, Oregon in Tucson) so my guess is we go 7-5 again. I think ASU goes 8-4. Both guesses give or take a game.

A four win projection is about as laughable as our OOC schedule.

 

[HooverDam]

A four win projection is about as laughable as our OOC schedule.

If you'd find and highlight for me where I projected that, Ive got a crisp $100 for ya.

What I said was, 4 or 5 is their floor. Not meaning thats likely, but if everything goes wrong, injuries to key players (Ka'Deem Carey for instance) thats the worst I can see them doing.

They should absolutely win their 3 OoC games and beat all 3 of Cal, Col and Wazzu, so if I had to put money on it right now (which, its way too early) I'd say likely 6 wins would be the best bet, with 7 being the 2nd most likely outcome.

 

[Dback Jon]

NAU might be UA's toughest OOC opponent

NAU beat UNLV last year. UTSA is a 4th year program.

 

[AsUdUdE]

UofA's schedule is a complete joke... wow..

 

[Mathew81]

UofA's schedule is a complete joke... wow..

Looks like our basketball schedule

 

[Gaddabout]

I am going to disagree with myself and predict ASU will beat ND.

: championship :

 

[AsUdUdE]

Looks like our basketball schedule

that was exactly my thoughts... but UofA played the game better.. In football they REALLY don't care about the strength of schedule unless you are in the top 5 fighting for a title..

Basketball does care quite a bite just to get into the dance...

oh well, it was probably better for our young team to ease them in.. if they keep winning the soft schedule will mean less..

 

[TJ]

Not sure how ASU, which played a very weak schedule this season, goes from 8 to 10 wins in one season with much tougher opponents.


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[Zobaczcie suki]

Not sure how ASU, which played a very weak schedule this season, goes from 8 to 10 wins in one season with much tougher opponents.


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I agree, it will be a tough go. I wouldn't say this year's schedule was "weak", but next year will be tougher for sure. But here are a few things we have going for us next year:

1. Graham's system will not be totally new. All returning players will have one year in the system under their belt.

2. Taylor Kelly is now an experienced and quality starter at QB. That is huge and sets us apart from some of the competition in the PAC12.

3. Will Sutton, returning All American will demand a lot more attention from O line's, opening up opportunities for others, including some solid teammates on defense who are coming back for another year.

4. We get Wisconsin and USC at home, and Notre Dame at a neutral site.

5. We will be better at the skill positions with some good recruits at WR, and another year of experience behind Coyle, Grice, and Foster.

That's the glass is half full version.

 

[Gaddabout]

There's no such thing as a neutral site for Notre Dame. It will be 85 percent Irish at the game.

 

[HooverDam]

There's no such thing as a neutral site for Notre Dame. It will be 85 percent Irish at the game.

True. But they do still have to travel, been in unfamiliar surroundings, be out of their routine, etc. just like you would on a road game.

Not that all of that makes a big difference, but if you're asking "does ASU have a better chance to beat ND in South Bend or Dallas?" I think we'd all agree its Dallas (not that its great odds either way).

Not sure how ASU, which played a very weak schedule this season, goes from 8 to 10 wins in one season with much tougher opponents.

With a new Coach/system, ASU nearly won 9 games this past year. The Mizzou and UCLA games easily could've gone the other way. The UCLA game likely would have if Sutton was healthy. Then you'd be talking about ASU as P12 South champs.

Obviously thats some woulda-coulda-shoulda, but Graham (and RichRod) exceeded expectations in year 1. With a lot of key returning guys, the QB situation sorted out, etc. ASU ought to be improved next year. Besides Brandon Magee and Josh Hubner they don't lose any super key guys.

Plus if all the JCs they're bringing in do half as well as this past JC class, that'll help fill some holes nicely.

 

[Gaddabout]

Plus if all the JCs they're bringing in do half as well as this past JC class, that'll help fill some holes nicely.

The receivers all seem to be in the Mike Willie class of receiver, which gets an enthusiastic thumbs up from me.

 

[Zobaczcie suki]

There's no such thing as a neutral site for Notre Dame. It will be 85 percent Irish at the game.

 

[TJ]

I agree, it will be a tough go. I wouldn't say this year's schedule was "weak", but next year will be tougher for sure. But here are a few things we have going for us next year:

The overall record of the FBS teams you beat in 2012 was 27-56 (3.4 wins per team), and the only ranked opponent you beat was #24 UA (and that game featured UA's only loss to an unranked opponent). Also, many of the games you played were against back up quarterbacks. I can't see how this can be construed as anything but a cake walk.

I find it difficult to gauge ASU's 2013 team because of the easy schedule it had in 2012. Notre Dame will be a challenge as will Wisconsin (even in Tempe). If ASU manages 8 wins again, it has to be considered an improvement from the previous season.

I'm just happy that for once, UA has the easy schedule. Of course, that means we'll have to slaughter everyone to get any national rep.

 

[TJ]

With a new Coach/system, ASU nearly won 9 games this past year. The Mizzou and UCLA games easily could've gone the other way. The UCLA game likely would have if Sutton was healthy. Then you'd be talking about ASU as P12 South champs.

Obviously thats some woulda-coulda-shoulda, but Graham (and RichRod) exceeded expectations in year 1. With a lot of key returning guys, the QB situation sorted out, etc. ASU ought to be improved next year. Besides Brandon Magee and Josh Hubner they don't lose any super key guys.

Plus if all the JCs they're bringing in do half as well as this past JC class, that'll help fill some holes nicely.

With the very same logic, UofA nearly won 10 with its near misses against PAC champ Stanford and OSU. Make it 11 if Matt Scott doesn't get greedy against ASU and fumbles while impersonating a swan in the 4th quarter.

 

[Phrazbit]

Yeah, I think you're projection of ASU's "floor" is way too kind. A 1-4 start is likely with that early schedule. That leaves only one loss as wiggle room... there are 4 "gimmies" on that schedule (Sac St, Utah, Colorado, WSU) but the remaining games are really tough.

I'd set their floor at 5 and their ceiling at 8.

While Arizona's schedule is a joke... they have 6 games that they should be heavy favorites and (while they do have to play Oregon) they dodge Stanford and Oregon St.

Not saying Arizona is going to be the better team on the field but I think with that schedule they project to have a better record than ASU next year.